La Chatte Gitane (or The Gypsy Cat) was the name we chose for our cottage in France. We chose it while on the road, moving home, from Ireland to France with 2 dogs and 7 cats in the car.

This blog began its insignificant life as a recipe book for friends and family who would ask me repeatedly for a recipe of this, that and the other.

Since then it has taken many different directions, like gypsies tend to do. Sometimes making a U-turn and revisiting familiar roads and taking a break when necessary.

You'll find recipes here, but also musings about the places we've called home, the gardens that we've established, not always successfully, the homes we've improved and the environments we've lived in. Currently, that is back in Ireland.

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Thursday, October 29, 2015

Reupholstering

Transforming an armchair or couch with a new (or in this case, old) piece of fabric isn't for everyone. But if like me, you can handle a sewing machine and a staple gun a whole world of opportunities for your home will open up.
Even though this is not my first attempt on tackling reupholstery, I was a bit afraid to get started on this recliner armchair.

I disliked the colour of this one so much and to top it off the cats had scratched the bejayses out of it.

I found a large piece of vintage looking fabric that I bought over 20 years ago and fell out of love with it straight after. Now I thought "What the heck is there to lose? Get on with it"

Here is where Bert's help came in. He took the armrests off and also the leg and foot rests.

I set to work and got so engrossed that I didn't take any photos of the process. Never mind, I have one more armchair to go and I will post the work progress on another post as and when it happens.

Ta - dah !

The violet (yes, violet) velvet for the seat and front of armrests was a small piece of fabric that once belonged to my late mother-in-law. I am so pleased that I don't throw anything away, and certainly not smidgins of fabric.

I left the original fabric in place. It is easier and stronger. The 'new' fabric' is only a moderately thick cotton and it probably won't hold forever with all the house pe(s)ts, but I am extremely pleased with the result.
It has been done since April and it took me only a couple of days of fiddling. The cats have been 'reasonably' good. They try, but they know the'll get a right bollocking when we're around.